The present invention relates to skin treatment apparatus and methods.
Professional skin treatment procedures are expensive and time consuming. For example, microdermabrasion procedures require a patient to travel to a facility and undergo treatment by a certified professional utilizing specialized equipment. Such sessions involve pneumatic abrasion of the skin with microscopic crystals, such as aluminum oxide or magnesium oxide.
As an alternative to professional treatment sessions, home treatment typically involves facial scrubs or microdermabrasion creams applied by hand. Although time and money are saved, the quality of the treatment and the level of skin abrasion are sacrificed. Some commercially available products include those wherein a vibrating or spinning foam pad is used to apply cream to the face. However, the foam absorbs the cream and becomes clogged, wasting the expensive cream. In addition, the foam pad is highly resilient and pliant; therefore, a user needs to exert substantial pressure in attempting to effect abrasion. This pressure increases the friction between the pad and the skin, thereby generating heat and causing irritation.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for methods and apparatus for effectively treating the skin with abrasion lotion that may be utilized economically and outside of a professional facility.